Wood-Destroying Insect Inspection

A wood destroying insect inspection researches whether your home shows evidence of infestation by insects or wood-destroying insects. Several varieties of small bugs can do extensive damage to a home, especially as they gnaw away at floors, support beams and wood framing hidden behind the plaster in your walls.

Here’s a look at common wood-destroying insects and their behavior:

Termites

Termites are among the most well-known home pests, yet they’re also among the hardest to detect. Colonies of termites contain three types of insects, only one of which damages wood. However, since all colonies contain this destructive wood-eating class of insects, evidence of a colony is always a danger sign – as is the fact that termites typically flock to and gnaw away at the structural timber which supports your home. It’s likely that termites have infested your home if “mud tubes” – tunnels constructed by the bugs – run along your walls or if you see tiny wings shed by the bugs.

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants bore into wood and create hollows in wood surfaces where they lay eggs in nests. If your home has attracted carpenter ants, that may be a sign that your home contains decayed or damp wood – the type of wood that attracts these pests. Carpenter ants leave behind a material resembling sawdust and known as “frass.” Frass may indicate recent activity in sound wood.

Wood-boring Beetles

Wood-boring beetles are common in older homes or newer homes with damp wood. These pests live in all 50 states and they bore into wood, much like termites do.